A Lifelong Focus on Education

As a teacher in the Des Moines Public Schools, Judy Lindquist, GR'70, spent her career encouraging students to achieve to the best of their abilities.

When she planned her estate she maintained her focus on education to empower students, particularly women, to strive for careers in challenging professional fields.

Her gift to Drake provides the financial assistance necessary for students to pursue their dreams through the creation of three scholarships: the Judith A. Lindquist Excellence in Science, Technology, Math, and Business Scholarship; the Judith A. Lindquist Scholarship for Women MBAs; and the Maurice W. and Anita Lindquist Endowed Scholarship for students from Gowrie, Iowa.

These scholarships were awarded for the first time this year, and they are already making a difference in the lives of the three initial student recipients:

Megan Kassmeier
Kassmeier, AS'13, works as the volunteer and resource manager for a nonprofit agency in Des Moines. She hopes to someday serve as an executive director for a humanitarian nonprofit focused on poverty elimination. To achieve this goal, she realized she would need a graduate degree. She chose Drake's Master of Business Administration program because of the opportunity to specialize in nonprofit management.

"My employer doesn't reimburse for tuition, but I knew I wanted and needed more higher education," says Kassmeier. "This scholarship has been meaningful because it opens doors I wouldn't have had otherwise. With less debt repayment, I will be able to invest my resources into other causes that I care about as well."

Logan Boerner
Boerner received the Maurice W. and Anita Lindquist Endowed Scholarship. Hailing from Lindquist's parents' hometown of Gowrie, Boerner is a first-year student pursuing a degree in pre-pharmacy because of a passion for chemistry.

"I've loved Drake since the first time I came for my first visit," says Boerner. "I love the small campus and the size of my classes."

Jenna Hendrickson
Hendrickson, the recipient of Lindquist Excellence in Science, Technology, Math, and Business Scholarship, is a sophomore majoring in mathematics with a minor in Spanish. She participates in a number of activities on campus, including the Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity, the Drake Outdoor Leadership Club, and Women in Math and Computer Science organization. Hendrickson says she was honored to receive the inaugural Lindquist Scholarship.

"Obviously, any sort of academic scholarship instills that you are doing a good job," she says. "Getting chosen out of everyone makes it pretty special."

You can follow in Judy Lindquist's footsteps and provide life-shaping educational opportunities for future Drake students. Contact John Amato at 515-271-2849 or john.amato@drake.edu to learn the variety ways you can make a future gift to Drake University.